Microelectronic devices are becoming smaller and smaller as time goes on. Various electronic components, such as resistors and transistors, are manufactured and incorporated into microelectronic devices, and the shrinking size requires these electronic components to be smaller and/or more closely packed together. The small size and close packing of electronic components increases manufacturing precision required.
Some microelectronic devices include components that are less than ten nanometers (nm) thick, and millions or billions of transistors and other electronic components may be on a chip that is about the size of a fingernail. The small size and close packing of the microelectronic components requires small tolerances for each component. The small size also requires proper alignment for interconnections between different components, because chip designs specify the connections between the various microelectronic components. As the size of the microelectronic components shrink, the room for error in constructing, placing, and connecting microelectronic components also shrinks.
The manufacturing process is highly automated, and the location, timing, and use of the various manufacturing equipment is precisely controlled. Selected products are removed from the production line and inspected for quality control purposes. The selected product may be dis-assembled or cut into smaller pieces so specific components can be inspected to verify the shape, construction, alignment, positioning, etc. Many microelectronic components are too small to inspect with the naked eye, so microscopes or other techniques are used to prepare images of selected samples. The inspections allow the manufacturer to adjust and fine-tune the manufacturing equipment and processes as necessary. However, as the size of the components shrinks, the ability to inspect specific components becomes more challenging. In fact, if the sample size for inspection is too small, the sample will not retain its shape, which frustrates accurate imaging.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop improved methods for imaging microelectronic components. In addition, it is desirable to develop new techniques and methods for isolating and imaging very small components within a microelectronic device. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present embodiment will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.